PlanJam!From your screen to the scene

While smaller in capacity to its sister venue down the street, the Aragon, and not quite as beautifully decorated, the Riv is still a pretty cool place to catch a show! It's pretty similar to the Congress in just about every sense of the word, with its dingy charm, balcony seating and overall capacity. It tends to fill up a lot tighter since they take on even more popular acts of varying styles, and like the Aragon, it's right next to the Red Line and all those wonderful places to eat and drink at. They also offer a coat check, so dress like it's the summer underneath those warm trench coats, since it gets really hot in there, even in the dead of winter!

Just like any other place that's all general admittance, it is always a good idea to get there as soon as possible to stake your claim, whether you want a balcony seat or a good spot in front of the stage. Late arrivals are generally subjected to getting stuck along the side lines, however the vantage points are really not too bad. Also, go ahead and bring a disposable camera and snap a few pictures. Just remember that anything more than five feet away really won't show up all that great, so capturing the moment is pretty much a hit or miss, and only if you get right up in front of the stage.

There are a few down sides to the Riv that can deter folks from going. For one thing, the bathrooms are located down in the basement, so when ya gotta go, you may want to make a bee line right before a set ends to avoid the crowds. It's also dirty, and I mean really dirty, with a tendency to flood, so do not wear your favorite shoes. Strangely, there are bathroom attendants, but one begs to ask what exactly they are attending to. Also, the place really does need a rehab, and it looks like at one time they were making an honest attempt but just stopped. I truly hope a portion of the money filtering into this place will go towards a fresh coat of paint. The security is pretty tight, so it can take a while to actually get inside, but they're pretty lenient once you're in. Finally, there is no in or out, which is understandable due to the size of the place.

Overall, the Riv really is a good place to see a show, if that is all you are there to do. Every other aspect of the evening should be done elsewhere.